Recently, a company called Made in Space successfully completed a testing period of two 3D printers on numerous zero-gravity NASA flights. As a result, a scaled-down wrench has become the first tool ever printed in partial zero-gravity...

These 3D printers work in a similar fashion to standard printers. However, rather than printing layers of ink on paper, 3D printers create objects with layers of “feedstock” (metal, plastic, etc.).

Allegedly, according to Samantha Murphy at TechNewsDaily, the printing of parts in space could “eventually be transplanted to other worlds such as the moon, where it could help human colonies gain a foothold by printing out robot parts or buildings, piece by piece. “ If this comes into fruition, 3D printers will eventually enable other structures to be built in space such as satellites and spacecrafts.

CEO and Co-Founder of Made in Space, Alex Kemmer, optimistically proclaims that “3D printing and in-space manufacturing will dramatically change the way we look at space exploration, commercialization, and mission design today. The possibilities range from building on-demand parts for human missions to building large space habitats that are optimized for space.”

Within three years, Made in Space intends to have a functional 3D printer in space. According to CTO and co-founder of Made in Space, Jason Dunn, Made in Space already knew “3D printing works in zero-gravity to some degree.” What Made in Space is trying to find out now is how well it works. As a result, we can expect more zero-gravity testing to arise within the next couple of years.

Hopefully, Made in Space’s predictions are accurate and we see a functional 3D printer in space within the next three years since creating space stations and equipment in space would certainly be more economical.